Stock reel



AEBORTON 22787 STOCK H EEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, i959 47 m mi??? I ll Il H II 1| 1| |I Il U ll IY Il Il Il Il Il Il Il 1| `\?6 lNVENTOR Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 UNITED ,STATES STOCK-REEL Alwyn E. Bortoli, South Orange, N.4 l., assignor to Associated Patentees, Inc.,.A1npere, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 13,1939,1Serial No. 303,954

9 Claims.

"The invention here disclosed relates to the winding and unwinding of various kinds of strip- "materials Objects of the invention particularly .are to pro- `vide practical and reliable apparatus for auto- Arnatically winding or unwinding` strip material at adesired rate, such as to suit the action of a -press or some such associated machine, or in accordance with special conditions such as to stop and start operationsas an associated machine is stopped or started.

Further special objects of the invention are to `provide practical and reliable apparatus for the `purposes mentioned, which will be particularly sensitive and accurate in action and .adapted'to safely handle light and flimsy-stock aswell as heavy grades of material.

The foregoing and other desirable objects are `attained by the novel `features of construction, combinations and rel-ations of parts hereinafter described,- illustrated in` the accompanying draw- `ings and broadly covered in the claims.

The drawings illustrate several differentforms of theinvention and the structure may be further modified, al1 `within the true intent and broad scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention as embodied in an automatic reelV of the cradle type.

`Fig. 2 is a side view showingthe invention inicorporated in a stockA reel of the spindle type.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken plan view of the parts -on substantially the plane 3--3 `of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged-broken side elevation of `the strip feed rollsand control mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

Pig. 5 is a broken part `sectional plan as on Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic viewof therocker `mechanism.

In-the first form of the invention, illustrated Ain Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the stock is in the form of an -open coilof strip material 'Lrotatably supported -on rolls 8, between side guides 9.

Unwindingofthe -strip material `is effected by rolls It), II, Figs. 4 and f 5, the first being shown as journalled in the framing I2, andthe second as journalled in blocks I3, vslidable in guides I4, for adjustments-to suit the thickness of material and pressure to be applied to the stock.

Adjustment of Athe stock gripping `rolls is effected in the illustration by parallel screws I5, mounted in the framing and carrying at their `inner .ends bowed-pressure springs I6, bearing against l the Ijournal blocks l I3. `At `the opposite sides, these journal blocks are engaged by helical springs Il, which thrust the blocks outwardly as and when the pressure screws are released. The latter are shown as having squared heads I8, at their outer ends for engagement by a wrench "5 or adjusting crank and the two screws are shown as coupled together by sprocket chain connections'l9, so that adjustment of either screw will effect avcorresponding adjustment of the other screw.

The stock gripping rolls Ii), I I, are operated in the illustration, from a motor 20, Fig. 1, which through suitable reduction gearing drives a pin- `ion`2l, connected by a chain 22, with a pinion 23,

on the outer end of shaft 2d, of the upper roll IU. 15 The lower roll I I, is shown driven from the upper roll by gearing 25, Fig. 5.

As shown in Figs, 1 and 4, the stock gripping and feeding rolls I0, II, are set one slightly above `the other, so as to take the stock from the out-k` -side of the coil on an upward slant more or less tangential to the curvature of the coil riding on the supporting rolls 8.

Control of unwinding operations is accom- `plishel in the illustration by means of swinging; arms 25, fixed on a rock shaft 2l, and carrying a roll 28, engaging the coil of stock advanced by the feed rolls. These rock arms may be weighted, counterbalanced or provided with springs such as indicated at 29, to swing them over toward the stock and'to hold the roll 28, engaged with the stock'at the desired pressure.

The actual control for the motor is sho-wn as a mercury switch inthe form of a tube 30, containing terminals 3I, and a mercury contactonl 32, said tube being held in a clip 33, carried by a head 34, at the end of a rock shaft 35, jour- `nalled in a bearing hub 36, projecting from the back of a switch box 31. Spring washers 38, between the back of the switch mounting head 34,r and adjacent bearing surface, serveto frictionally hold this rock shaft and consequently the mercury switch which it carries, in the on and off circuit positions. Wiring extending from the switch to the motor is indicated generally at 39.

On the outer end of the switch rock shaft 35, a yoke 4f), is adjustably secured at 4|,said yoke `having upwardly projecting divergent arms 42, 43, in which are adjustably mounted the abutment screws fifi, 45, positioned for alternate engagement by the swinging control finger 4t, projecting downwardly from the rock shaft 2T. The switchactuating finger 46, is adjustably secured ,atrll'L on .the `rock shaft 2T, and the abutments` '44, :45, on the switch rocker are 4so set ythat the r -associated machine starts.

switch will be rocked to the closed circuit position shown in Fig. 4, to start the motor when the loop of material leaving the cradle has been reduced to a certain extent and be rocked in the reverse direction to open the circuit and stop the motor when the loop of slack material increases to a predetermined extent.

As shown in the detail view, Fig. 6, the control finger 46, and abutment screws 44, 45, rock on intersecting arcs 48, 49, and the extent of overlap is such that the linger traveling in one direction can engage, depress and swing on past one abutment screw. The control nger is thus enabled to clear itself of any restraint from the switch rocker. The tilting of the switch in one direction, as to the right in Fig. 6, by depression of the rocker abutment 45, brings the other abutment 44, up into the range of the control nger, so that the latter in its return movement, while clearing the depressed abutment 45, will fully engage the raised abutment 44, and by depressing the latter, rock the switch fully in the opposite direction.

The spring washers 38, yieldingly hold the switch in the position to which it has been rocked, so that it will stay in the position to which it has been shifted, whether that be the oii or the on circuit condition and remain there until the control linger swings back sufciently to rock it over into the reverse position. The body of mercury has the desirable effect, once the tilting movement is started, of assisting in such motion and actually carrying the rocker a slight distance beyond the movement imparted by the control nger, to lower the last engaged abutment just enough to prevent the control finger from scraping over the end of such abutment in its return movement.

The removable mounting of the mercury tube in the supporting clip 33 enables this tube being readily reversed end-for-end so as to effect the desired on or olf circuit condition in the tilted position in either direction.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate an adaptation of the invention to reels of the spindle type, where the coil of material is supported at the center on a spindle structure 50. In this particular illustration, the detector roll 28 rests on the stretch of material advanced by the feed rolls l0', Il and the parts are adjusted so that with a certain amount of slack the roll will lower to rock the switch to the circuit open position and as the loop of advanced material decreases to a predetermined extent, the switch will be rocked back into the closed circuit position.

Because of the disconnection which is automatically eiected between the control finger and switch rocker, after the switch has been actuated one way or the other, the detector mechanism is unhampered or free of restraining iniluence such as might be imposed by switch mechanism and hence can bear very lightly on the stock and be very sensitive in its action. The mechanism, on the other hand, is quite simple and of a substantial charactenso as to be reliable and not likely to get out of order. Also, it is readily applicable to various types of machines and may be used equally as well for either winding or unwinding purposes. Associated with a press, stock straightener, or other mechanism, the invention serves a safety purpose, automatically stopping the feed when the consuming mechanism stops and starting again when the The invention is adapted to the handling of all kinds of strip stock, whether it be in the nature of wire, fl'at strip or other cross-sectional shapes. The invention is applicable to other forms of strip advancing means than those shown, for instance, to the type of stock reel covered in Borton Patent 2,097,142, in which the spindle carrying the coil of material is driven by belt from a motor and in which event, the swinging control arm is positioned to engage in a slack loop of material taken off from or winding on the outside of the reel. The switch box enclosing the mercury switch and supporting the switch rocker, forms a complete assembly which can be readily handled and mounted on a machine as a single unit.

What is claimed is:

l. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip feeding means, including a motor, a movable feeler positioned to engage strip material advanced by said strip feeding means, a rocking control nger actuated by said feeler, a rocking motor controlling switch element, a rocker for actuating the same, spaced abutments carried by said rocker for engagement by said swinging control iinger, said control nger and spaced abutments being mounted for rocking movement on intersecting arcs and said rocker having movement in opposite directions sufcient to enable one abutment to be moved by said finger to a position clear of the same and said abutments being so related to said finger that the swinging f of said rocker in one direction to free one abutment of said finger will carry the other abutment into position to be engaged and actuated by said nger in swinging movement of the lat-r ter in the opposite direction.

2. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip advancing means including a motor, a tilting mercury switch for controlling said motor, a rocker on which said mercury switch is mounted; spaced abutments on said rocker, a swinging arm positioned for engagement by the stock advanced by said strip advancing means and a control finger actuated by said swinging arm on an arc intersecting the arc of movement described by the spaced abutments of said switch rocker.

3. In an automatic reel, `the combination of strip advancing means including a motor, a tilting mercury switch for controlling said motor, a rocker on which said mercury switch is mounted, spaced abutments on said rocker, a swinging arm positioned for engagement by the stock advanced by said strip advancing means and a control nger actuated by said swinging arm on an arc intersecting the arc of movement described by the spaced abutments of said switch rocker, said spaced abutments comprising screw members adjustable to enable said control linger to yswing over and beyond said abutments in travel in opposite directions.

4. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip advancing means including a motor, a tilting mercury switch for controlling said motor, a rocker on which said mercury switch is mounted, spaced abutments on said rocker, a swinging arm positioned for engagement by the stock advanced by said strip advancing means, a control finger actuated by said swinging arm on an arc intersecting the arc of movement described by the spaced abutments of said switch rocker and means for releasably retaining said switch rocker in the positions to which it is tilted in opposite directions.

5. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip advancing means including a motor, a tilting mercury switch for controlling said motor, a

, rocker on which said mercury switch is mounted,

spaced abutments on said rocker, a swinging arm positioned for engagement by the stock advanced by said strip 4advancing means, a control finger actuated by said swinging arm 4on an arc inter* secting the arc of movement described by the spaced abutments said switch rocker and spring means for yieldingly retaining said switch rocker tilted in opposite directions.

6. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip advancing means including a motor, a tilting mercury switch for con-trolling said motor, a

. rocker on which said mercury switch is mounted,

spaced abutments on said rocker, a swingingarrn positioned for engagement by the stock advanced by said strip advancing means, a control finger actuated by said swinging arm on an arc intersecting the arc of movement described by the spaced abutments of said switch rocker and a A switch box enclosing said mercury switch and provided with -a bearing for said rocker,

`'7. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip advancing means including a motor, a mov# able switch element for con-trolling said motor, a rocker for operating said movable switch element, spaced abutments on said rocker, a swinging arm positioned for engagement by the stock advanced by said strip advancing means, a control nger actuated by said swinging arm on an arcintersecting the arc of movement described by the spaced abutments of said switch rocker, said spaced abutments being relatively adjustable on said rocker to enable positioning of the same for the control iinger to engage and swing free of said vabutrnents.

8. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip `advancing means, including strip feeding rolls and a motor for driivng tlie saine, a switch for controlling said motor, a rocker for actuating said switch, spaced abutrnents carried by said rocker, a control iinger mounted to swing between and beyond said spaced abutments and a strip engaging arm connected to operate said control finger.

9. In an automatic reel, the combination of strip advancing means, including strip feeding rolls and a motor for driving the same, a switch for controlling said motor, a rocker for actuating said switch, spaced abutments carried by said rocker, a control finger mounted to swing between and beyond said spaced abutments and a strip engaging arm connected to operate said control nger' said spaced abutments being relatively adjustable on said rocker sufficiently to enable positioning of the same so 4that said control nger after engaging said abutments at predetermined points in the arc of travel may then swing free of the saine.

ALWYN E. BURTON. 

